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Modular Concrete Curing: A green alternative to curing process

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The traditional process of curing concrete is cumbersome, requires extensive labour work and leads to significant quantities of water loss. Ambuja has introduced a waterless curing technique in India that is economical and environment friendly.

Any cement concrete product or structure has to go through a curing process when the product or structure gains strength. The process of curing is done mainly with water. The chemical action between cement and water helps in hardening of concrete.

Curing must be done for a certain period of time so that concrete achieves its potential strength. It is very important to do curing properly as it crucial for the strength and durability of the concrete product or structure. The amount of time curing is to be done depends on the purpose of the concrete product or structure, temperature and humidity of the atmosphere.

Traditional curing process

Traditionally, curing is done by pouring or spraying water on concrete or mortar surfaces for an adequate period of time. Water has to be continuously replenished as and when it evaporates due to high temperature and low humidity. If the water dries out the strength of the concrete structure or surface will be impacted.

On flat surfaces such as pavements, roads, sidewalks and floor slabs curing is done by ponding water on the exposed top surface. This is done by making small bunds a few hours after the concrete work is over.

Typically, masons and labourers build bunds with cement and sand on flat concrete surfaces. Water is then poured on the surface and retained for a few days. On surfaces that cannot hold water, labourers spray water several times during the day for several days.

History and description of the technology

Ambuja Cements has come up with an alternative to combat difficulties in managing the traditional method of curing, the Ambuja Modular Curing Solution (AMCS). AMCS entails the use of a plastic sheet to prevent water losses due to evaporation, protects against strong winds, low humidity and high ambient temperatures.

How it can be used/ installed

Surfaces, which are concreted or cemented, are covered by plastic sheets primarily to prevent loss of humidity. All that the contractor has to do is to inform the service providers at Ambuja. The site engineer from Ambuja visits the premises where concrete is being poured and makes necessary arrangement at the site to cover the laid concrete. Once concrete is poured the cover is laid on top. The polymer covering comes in standard sizes that can be joined end to end to make a larger sheet. The joint is strong and water tight and does not let water or moisture to seep out. It is a quick and hassle free process.

Advantages for the construction industry

The biggest benefit is saving of water. About 12,000 litres of water required for curing 100 square metres of slab surface could be saved on an average. In India, many places are extremely hot and arid. Water availability is a serious issue. Under these circumstances curing process is not always done well. Also, labourers are required to build bunds on cemented surface or spray water several times during the day. Many a times the slab may have dry patches due to inappropriate/insufficient water application on the surface. AMCS is a service that helps reduce water usage and lower labour and other costs.

Its availability in India

At present AMCS is a service and is being expanded through its channel partners. The response to AMCS has been quite encouraging as curing is done effectively without hassles, water or labour. For Ambuja Cements, AMCS is yet another initiative towards sustainability.

Concrete

Ultra Concrete Age

Prof. A. S. Khanna (Retd., IIT Bombay) on how Ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) improves strength, durability and lifecycle performance.

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The need of present time is stronger buildings, industrial or common utility buildings, such as Malls, Railway stations, hospitals, offices, bridges etc. For this, there is need of long durable, tough and stable concrete, which could stand under normal and seismic conditions. Tough railway bridges are required for bullet trains to pass without any damage. Railway tunnels, sea-links, coastal roads, bridges and multistorey buildings, are the need of the hour. The question comes, is the normal cement called OPC is sufficient to take care of such requirements or better combination of cements and sand mixtures is required?
Introduction
A good stable building structure can be made with a good quality of cement+sand+water system. Its quality can be enhanced by keeping the density of admixture higher (varies from 30 in normal buildings to bridges etc to 80). Further enhancement in the properties of various cements admixtures is made by adding several additives which give additional strength, waterproofing, flexibility etc. These are called construction chemicals…

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Concrete

NCB Signs MoU With Cement Manufacturer To Boost Construction Skills

Partnership to deliver nationwide training and certification

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The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB) has signed a memorandum of understanding with a leading cement manufacturer to strengthen skill development and capacity building in the construction sector. The agreement was formalised at NCB premises in Ballabgarh and was signed by the Director General of NCB, Dr L. P. Singh, and the head of technical services at UltraTech Cement Limited, Er Rahul Goel. The collaboration seeks to bring institutional resources and industry expertise into a structured national training effort.

The partnership will deliver structured training and certification programmes across the country aimed at enhancing the capabilities of civil engineers, ready?mix concrete (RMC) professionals, contractors, construction workers and masons. Programme curricula will cover material quality testing, concrete mix proportioning, durability assessment and sustainable construction practices to support improved construction outcomes. Emphasis is to be placed on standardised assessment and certification to raise practice levels across diverse construction roles.

Practical learning elements will include workshops, site demonstrations, technical seminars and exposure visits to plants and RMC facilities to strengthen applied skills and on?site decision making. The Director General indicated confidence that a large number of professionals and workers would be trained over the next three to five years under the initiative. The partnership is designed to complement flagship government schemes such as the Skill India Mission and to align training outputs with national infrastructure priorities.

By combining the council’s technical mandate with industry experience, the initiative aims to develop a more skilled and quality?conscious workforce capable of meeting rising demand in infrastructure and housing. NCB will continue to coordinate programme delivery and quality assurance while industry partners provide practical exposure and technical inputs. The collaboration is expected to support long?term capacity building and more sustainable construction practices nationwide.

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Concrete

JSW Cement Commissions Nagaur Plant, Enters North India

New Rajasthan unit boosts capacity to 24.1 MTPA and expands reach

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JSW Cement has strengthened its national presence by commencing production at its greenfield integrated cement plant in Nagaur, Rajasthan, marking its entry into the north Indian market.
With this commissioning, the company’s installed grinding capacity has increased to 24.1 MTPA, while total clinker capacity, including its joint venture operations, stands at 9.74 MTPA.
The Nagaur facility comprises a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and a 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit, with an additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity currently under development. Strategically located, the plant is positioned to serve high-growth markets across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR.
The project has been funded through a mix of equity and long-term debt, with Rs 800 crore allocated from IPO proceeds towards part-financing the unit.
Parth Jindal, Managing Director, JSW Cement, stated that the commissioning marks a key milestone in the company’s ambition to become a pan-India player. He added that the project was completed within 21 months and positions the company to achieve its targeted capacity of 41.85 MTPA by FY29.
Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, highlighted that the expansion aligns with the company’s strategy to tap into rapidly growing northern markets driven by infrastructure development. He noted that the company remains focused on delivering high-quality, eco-friendly cement solutions while progressing towards its long-term capacity goal of 60 MTPA.
The Nagaur plant has been designed with sustainability features, including co-processing of alternative fuels and a 7 km overland belt conveyor for limestone transport to reduce road emissions. The facility will also incorporate a 16 MW Waste Heat Recovery System to improve energy efficiency and lower its carbon footprint.
JSW Cement, part of the JSW Group, operates across the building materials value chain and currently has eight plants across India, along with a clinker unit in the UAE through its joint venture.

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